Papers Relating to Foreign Affairs, Accompanying the Annual Message of the President to the First Session Thirty-eighth Congress, Part I
Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward.
Sir: The only subject of interest this week has been the condition of Mr. Laird’s iron-clad vessels. The second has been launched, whilst the first is reported to be so far prepared for departure as to bring the question of stopping her to a point calling for prompt decision. Thus far the government has made no sign. The Union and Emancipation Society have presented an earnest memorial on the subject, which has opened the way to some controversial writing in the newspapers. I have reason to believe that the law officers of the crown are wavering in their counsel on the point of evidence of intent. Some little dust has been thrown in their eyes by the pretence of other destination than the real one. It is utterly impossible to form any opinion what the issue of this hesitation will be.
I have for some time back leaned to the belief that the vessel would be stopped. But, as it seems so doubtful, I concluded the wisest course would be to put in one more remonstrance. Accordingly I have taken advantage of some depositions, of no great additional weight, furnished to me by Mr. Dudley, to present another note, a copy of which is herewith transmitted. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, &c.
Mr. Adams to Earl Russell.
My Lord: I have the honor to transmit copies of further depositions relating to the launching and other preparation of the second of the two vessels-of-war from the yard of Messrs. Laird, at Birkenhead, concerning which it has already been my disagreeable duty to make most serious representations to her Majesty’s government.
I believe there is not any reasonable ground for doubt that these vessels, if permitted to leave the port of Liverpool, will be at once devoted to the object of carrying on war against the United States of America. I have taken the necessary measures, in the proper quarters, to ascertain the truth of the respective statements current here, that they are intended for the use of the government of France or for the pacha of Egypt, and have found both without foundation. At this moment neither of those powers appears to have occasion to use concealment or equivocation in regard to its intentions, had it any in obtaining such ships. In the notes which I had the honor to address to your lordship on the 11th of July and 14th August, I believe I stated the importance attached by my government to the decision involved in this case with sufficient distinctness. Since that date I have had the opportunity to receive from the United States a full approbation of its contents. At the same time, I feel it my painful duty to make known to your lordship that, in some respects, it has fallen short in expressing the earnestness with which I have been in the interval directed to describe the grave nature of the situation in which both countries must be placed in the event of an act of aggression committed against the government and people of the United States by either of these formidable vessels.
[Page 408]I pray your lordship to accept the assurances of the highest consideration with which I have the honor to be, my lord, your most obedient servant,
Right Hon. Earl Russell, &c., &c.
Mr. Dudley to Samuel P. Edwards.
I, the undersigned, Thomas Haines Dudley, consul of the United States of America for the port of Liverpool and its dependencies, do hereby apply to you, on behalf of the government of the United States of America, to seize and detain an iron clad steam vessel-of-war, launched from the yard of Messrs. Laird & Co. at Birkenhead, on the 29th day of August last, and now lying at Birkenhead aforesaid, with her tackle, apparel and furniture, with all the material, arms, ammunition and stores which may belong to or be on board of the said vessel, pursuant to the power given to you in that behalf by the 7th section of the act of Parliament 59 Geo. 3, C. 69, on the ground that such vessel is being equipped, furnished, fitted out, and armed, in order that such vessel shall, be employed in the service of the persons assuming to exercise the power of government, and called the Confederate States of America, and with the intent to cruise and commit hostilities against the government and citizens of the United States of America, with which government her Majesty the Queen is not now at war.
Samuel Price Edwards, Collector of the Customs, Liverpool.
Affirmation of Thos. H. Dudley.
I, Thomas Haines Dudley, of No. 3 Wellesley Terrace, Prince’s Park, Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, esquire, do solemnly, sincerely, and truly affirm and declare that the taking of any oath is, according to my religious belief, unlawful; and I do also solemnly, sincerely, and truly affirm and declare as follows:
1. I am the consul of the United States, of America at Liverpool and its dependencies.
2. I say that there is now, and for some time past has been, a war carried on between the government and people of the United States of America and certain persons who have rebelled against such government, and pretended to set up and assume to exercise the powers of government, styling themselves the Confederate States of America.
3. I further say that, to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief, no leave or license has been had or obtained from or of her Majesty the Queen, under her sign manual, or any order in council, or any proclamation of her said Majesty, or otherwise or at all authorizing any person, within any part of the United Kingdom, to equip, furnish, fit out, or arm ships or vessels with intent or in order that such ship or vessel shall be employed in the service of the said so-called Confederate States, to cruise or commit hostilities against the government and people of the said United States of America, and that her Majesty is not now at war with the United States.
4. I say there have been built in this port for the government, or persons assuming the government of the said so-called Confederate States, two vessels-of-war; one of them, namely, the Oreto, now called the Florida, and another [Page 409] called the Alabama, built by Messrs. W. C. Miller & Sons, of Liverpool; and they have been employed by the said so-called Confederate States against the government and people of the United States of America in the war that is now going on, and armaments and war crews for both the said vessels went out in them, or were sent out from England to meet the ship abroad, and were then placed on board them. On the 4th day of July last, another vessel built by the Messrs. Laird & Co., and intended for an iron-clad steam-ram and, as this deponent verily believes, built and intended for a vessel-of-war, was launched by them from their ship-building yard at Birkenhead.
5. On the 29th day of August last, another vessel built by the said Messrs. Laird & Co., and intended for an iron-clad steam-ram, and, as I verily believe, for a war vessel, was launched by them from their ship-building yard at Birkenhead.
6. The said vessels mentioned in the fourth and fifth paragraphs of this affirmation, respectively, are now lying at Birkenhead, aforesaid.
7. I say that I have read the affidavits of George Temple Chapman, sworn on the 29th day of June last; of Clarence Randolph Yonge, sworn on the 6th day of April last; of William Hayden Russell and Joseph Ellis, sworn on the 7th day of July last; of John Brady, sworn on the 11th day of July last; of Austin Joseph Hand, sworn on the 16th day of July last; of Thomas Sweeney, sworn on the 11th day of August last; of Joseph Ellis, sworn on the 1st day of September instant; and of Charles Prentis, sworn on the 29th day
of August last; and I say that, from the facts there spoken to, and from the facts and circumstances aforesaid, I verily believe and say that the said vessels above mentioned as having been launched on the 4th day of July last, and on the 29th day of August last, respectively, are being equipped, armed, arid fitted out, with intent and in order that the said vessels shall be employed in the service of the said persons setting up to exercise the power of government and called the Confederate States of America, and with intent to cruise and commit hostilities against the government and citizens of the United States of America.
THOMAS H. DUDLEY.
Deposition of Joseph Ellis.
I, Joseph Ellis, of No. 161 Athol street, in Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, shipwright, make oath and say, as follows :
1. I am well acquainted with the construction of iron-plated vessels-of-war, having assisted to build vessels of that description.
2. I was present in the ship-building yard of Messrs. Laird & Co., at Birkenhead, on Saturday the 29th day of August, 1863, when an iron-plated vessel, lately built by them, was launched.
3. The launch took place at about 11 o’clock in the morning, and before the vessel went off the ways I had an opportunity of seeing her perfectly well from the keel upward.
4. The vessel in question is a screw steamer, somewhat over two hundred feet long, as well as I could judge, and of great strength, and covered with iron plates from stem to stern. The said vessel would have about forty feet of beam amidships, and she has a space at the stern, and another space at the bow, both of which are covered in and protected by strong iron plating.
5. The said vessel is armed with a very formidable ram or piercer, which is [Page 410] made of iron or steel, and projects, as well as I could judge, about five feet from the stem. The said ram or piercer was nearly submerged when the said vessel was afloat after being launched, and when the vessel is in sea-going trim the ram will be quite under the water. The said ram was of great strength, and I am satisfied that it is intended to be used for destroying other vessels. It was similar in appearance to the rams which I have seen on other iron-clad vessels-of-war.
6. The said vessel’s bulwarks were not completed.
7. I was at Messrs. Laird & Co.’s yard, aforesaid, on the 4th day of July last when another iron-clad vessel, armed with a similar ram or piercer, was launched from the ways, on the north side of the ways from which the iron-clad vessel mentioned in the preceding paragraph of this affidavit was launched on Saturday last. The said vessels were, as far as I could judge, sister ships, and similarly constructed in all material respects. On the said 4th day of July last, one of Messrs. Laird & Co.’s workmen showed me one of the iron plates prepared to be used on the said vessel launched on Saturday last. Such plate was about four and a half inches in thickness.
8. On the said 4th day of July last I examined the said vessel which was launched on Saturday last, and I saw that she was prepared to receive two circular turrets, such as would be used for carrying turret guns. On the same day I saw in Messrs. Laird & Co.’s yard the frames of two turrets, such as would be used for carrying guns on board such a vessel. On Saturday last I saw in Messrs. Laird & Co.’s yard two turrets of the same description, but in a more advanced state, both of them being partially plated with iron.
9. The said vessel which was launched on Saturday last was built on and launched from the slip which is at the south end of Messrs. Laird & Co.’s yard, adjoining Birkenhead ferry. The other vessel above mentioned, which was launched on the 4th day of July last, was built on and launched from the adjoining slip, on the north side of the slip first mentioned in this paragraph. The said vessels were in fact built side by side.
10. The said ship which was launched on the 4th day of July last was on Saturday last lying afloat in a wet dock in Messrs. Laird & Co.’s yard, and I endeavored to get to the dock to see her; I was, however, stopped by some of Messrs. Laird & Co.’s men. I told them I wanted to go to look at the vessel lying in the wet dock, but they told me that their orders from headquarters were, not to allow any one to pass to see that vessel.
11. The said vessel launched on Saturday last as aforesaid, and the said vessel launched on the 4th day of July last as aforesaid, are, beyond all doubt, intended for iron-clad vessels-of-war, and not for any other purpose whatever.
JOSEPH ELLIS.
Affidavit of Charles Prentis.
I, Charles Prentis, of New London, Connecticut, at present in Liverpool, formerly a master mariner, and now a merchant, in business at New London, aforesaid, make oath and say, as follows :
1. I was formerly, for ten years, master of merchant vessels, and also of whaling vessels, and I have seen and examined many vessels-of-war, both of wood and iron. I have also examined the construction of several of the iron-clad vessels-of-war lately built by the United States government.
2. On the 28th day of the present month of August I visited the yard of [Page 411] Messrs. Laird Brothers, at Birkenhead, and inspected two iron-clad vessels in course of construction there. One of the said vessels is in the wet dock, and has three masts, the fore and main masts being square-rigged. She has a round overhanging stern, and is propelled by a screw. Her bow is wedge-shaped. The cut-water is almost perpendicular nearly down to the water-line, when it comes outward, so as to form a large projecting ram under water. She has also, about amidships, a turret capable of carrying a very large gun. I verily believe that the said vessel is an iron-clad war vessel, of the most formidable character, armed with a ram or piercer, constructed for the express purpose of sinking and destroying other vessels.
3. The said vessel, lastly before mentioned, appeared to be in such a state of preparation, that, in my opinion, she could be sent to sea at a few hours’ notice.
4. The other of the said two iron-clad vessels was on the ways. She is finished from the keel to the upper deck, and her bulwarks are partly erected. She resembled the other of the said vessels which was in the wet dock, in size and construction, so far as I could judge from looking at her on the ways, and she was armed with a similar ram or piercer on her stem. I have no doubt, whatever, that she also is intended for an iron-clad vessel-of-war.
CHARLES PRENTIS.